The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1887-02-20
cnxrnrr1Ips NEW CHURoH.
THE Handsome Building the Catholic
There are Preparing 10 Erect.

of The PassiOnist Fathers OF st. Michael s,
Monastery, West Hoboken. There were
at that time only four Catholic families IN
the place, three of them German aud one
Irish. The mission at Greenville originated
in this way: Mr.. Henry Lembeck, who
who resided there then as well as now,
lost one of his children through sickness,
and as there was no German Catholic
clergyman in the vicinity, he, in company
with the late Mr., William Farrell, went
10 the Monastery at West Hoboken to re-
quest one of the priests there to read the
burial service at the child's funeral. Rev.
Vincent Nagler, German priest, complied
with Mr.. Lembeck's request, and deliv-
cred sermon on the occasion. The de-
sire 10 have place of worship of their
own and the regular minstrations Of
clergyman caused the few Catholics at
Greenyille soon after this TO appoint
committee of their number to go around
and soil cit subscriptions for the purpose
of building a chapel The committse was
successful, and sufficient funds were Sc
cured to warrant the purchase of two lots
of ground on the old Bergen road at
cost of 500, and the erection of S nall
frame church, 90 by 80 feet, costing about
81, 500. The late Matthew Armstrong,
who was then President of The Hudson
County Bank, generously contributed 800
to this worthy object, and others gave in
proportion TO their means. Until the CON-
pletion of the church, mass was said in
The house of Mr.. Farrell. The altar fer
the little church was built by the JOINT
labors of Mr.. Lembeck and Mr.. Farrell 10
the few leisure hours they could spare
from their ordinary ,avccations. The
church was attended BY the Passionist
Fathers for about five years, and during
that time Rev Fathers Eusebius, Timothy,
Nilas, Vitalian, Stanisaus, Victor and
others used to officiate in turn.
In the latter part of 1866 Rev. Father
Niederhauser, who was then pastor at
Bergen Point. took charge of the Miss ion
at Greenville by direction of Bishop Bay
lev. and ministered to the spirit ual wants
of the congregation until he was succeeded
in the pastorate of Bergen Point by Rev
Father McGovern. Shortly afterwards
Rev. Dominick Kraus, pastor of st. Boni-
faces Church, First street, Jersey City, was
requested by the Bishop to attend the
church at Greenville as a mission from st.
Bonifaces. During the short time that he
had charge of the parish, he secured more
ground, and enlarged the church by the
addition of two wings and the reconstruc-i
ton of the sanctuary. Rev Father Feb
lings was then curate at st. Boniface's, and
in October, 1869, he was appointed the first
resident pastor at Greenville. He remained
a. little over year, being succeeded by
Rev Angelo Kempen, of the Carmelite
Fathers at Englewood, who staid about
nine months. He was very much beloved
hx-< IN
other fields of labor onthe order of his
superiors was very much regretted by the
Catholics OF Greenyille. They relate that
he walked, one Sunday, from Jersey City
TO Greenyille through several feet OF snow,
in the midst of binding snow-storm, and
arrived in time to say mass, the carriage
in which he was travelling from Englewood
having broken down at Jersey City. Rev.
DIR. Smith, at present rector of st. Joseph's
Church, Paterson, succeeded Father kem-
pen and remained until November, 1872,
when he was appointed pastor at Railway.
Doctor Smith established q parochial
school which was at first taught in the
church, Mr.. Tintle of Macopin, N. j.. and
his sister being the first teachers. A
frame school-house, "a by 3S feet, was soon
after erected on old Bergen Road. 1t con-
tanned two stories, and was built in the
Queen Anne style, costing So, 000. Rev,
Father Mendl succeeded Doctor Smith; and
it was he who brought the Dominican Sis
tiers to take charge of the school. He gave
up his residence to them, and rented
small house for himself In 1876 he built
the Convent on Linden avenue. This is
a fine building 50x40 feet, four stories high,
with Mansard roof, ana cost Sl4, COO.
There are eight Sisters, five of whom are
engaged in teaching the paroehial schoo,
boe, oft Of
Father .Mendl also built an extension to the
church, making it 100 feet long, 80 feet
wide aud SO feet across the transepts.
This ADDITION cost 81, 500. He also built
the tower in which are hung two bells, one
large, the other small one called the
ssAngelus' bell both donated by members
of the congregation Father Mendl left the
parish in the beginning of November. 1878,
and is now rector of the church at Mont
clair, N. j. The Rev. Father Hechinger
took his place, and remained until April Is,
1882, when the present rector, Rev. j. D.
Schandel was sent to take charge of the
parish. The debt of the church at that
time was SIS, 250. The receipts of the parish
after his arrival increased rapidly and were
as follnws In 1882, 81, 1856; in 1888, S.
1853; in 1884. S7,014 81; in 1885, ST.
O2O97. and in 1886, S., S3S28. A great
deal has been spent since IN repairs and
improvements, and by October, 1885, the
entire debt had been wiped out,
On January /, 1856, there was balance
OF hau d OF 50 SO, and all the property
clear of debt On January i, 1887, Rev.
Father Schandel had IS, 400 church funds
invested and drawing interest. Three of
the palishioners have also signed their
names for 81, 600 each on he subscription
list for the new church which will be COM
menced next April, and four other similar
subscriptions are confidently expected by
Father Schandel before he begins to build.
1t will be seen that the bui ding OF the
new church will be commenced under
very favorable auspices. The new church
will be of brick, in the Gothic style l52
feet long, by 65 feet wide. The sanctuary